Does the Lincoln-based uber-lobbying firm of Mueller-Robak even check the state status of the “non-profits” that they take on as “Principals?” and on whom Mueller-Robak charges lavish annual fees?

This question is important because it turns out that the “Children & Family Coalition” of Nebraska – headed by the Medicaid-funded Epworth Village President & CEO, Tom McBride – was dissolved by the State of Nebraska in June, 2011 for failure to report non-profit statutory requirements as set out in the Nebraska Non-Profit Corporation Act.

Every other year, Nebraska non-profits are required to list the names of officers, directors, the place of the principal office, etc.

In 2011, the “Children & Family Coalition of Nebraska” – which was incorporated in 1998 by Tom McBride – did not fulfill State requirements to file biennial reports with the Secretary of State’s office.

Once the “Coalition” was delinquent in its mandated reporting, the State sent the “Coalition” a statement declaring that they were in danger of being forcibly dissolved. Despite that warning, the “Coalition” still failed to file; ergo, the State officially dissolved the “Coalition” on June 2nd, 2011.

Yet, for the second half of 2011, the Mueller-Robak lobbying firm received $23,500 from the “Coalition” which at that point was operating as a rogue “non-profit,” and not one considered in good standing with the State of Nebraska.

Beyond 2011, for the first two quarters of 2012 (Jan-June), Mueller-Robak received $47,705.00 from a “non-profit” that was “dissolved” by the state.

The Record reveals that Epworth Village gets most of its funding from Medicaid.

In the Epworth Village 2010 IRS Form 990, President & CEO Tom McBride, answered the question as to whether the organization engaged in any kind of lobbying activities with an unqualified “no.”

McBride answered “no” yet, under the banner of the defunct-“non-profit” the “Children & Family Coalition of Nebraska” – which continues to list a Lincoln North 48th Street address with only Tom McBride as the contact – gave Mueller-Robak $23,500 even as it was operating as a “dissolved” Nebraska “non-profit.”

Where did the Mueller-Robak money come from? Was it in a bank account of a State-“dissolved” “non-profit?”

If the “Children & Family Coalition of Nebraska” had been officially dissolved by the State – and ostensibly its “assets” distributed at that time according to the law – was this “non-profit” flush enough to be handing over $47,705 to Mueller-Robak nearly one year later when it was no longer “registered” with the State of Nebraska?

Did the lobbying money come from Epworth Village despite the fact that President & CEO, Tom McBride, told the IRS in 2010 that Epworth Village did not engage in lobbying?

Given that almost all of Epworth Village’s funding comes from state and federal Medicaid monies, shouldn’t an investigation be jump-started to determine the precise relationship between Mueller-Robak, Epworth Village, President & CEO, Tom McBride, and Medicaid re-imbursement monies?